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HOMEPAGE | HEADLINES | OPINIONS | POLICE BLOTTER | OBITUARIES | SPORTS   Obituaries for the week ending November 14, 2003     Ed Shields Ed Shields, 91, of Ojai, died Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2003 at the Ojai Valley Community Hospital's Skilled Nursing Facility. He was born in 1912 in Pensacola, Fla., where he met and married Mary Louise. After working at many jobs as a baker, barber and roofer, he went into the sheet metal trade. When World War II broke out, Mr. Shields migrated to Los Angeles to find work in the shipyards. He later sent for his wife and four children, who made the trip to California on a troop train. After the war, he found employment in Bakersfield and commuted from Los Angeles, only returning home on weekends. On one trip home, he took a back way and discovered the Ojai Valley. He immediately moved the family to Ojai and never left. His interests included fishing off the pier in Ventura, playing card games, shooting pool, playing shuffleboard, gardening and raising rabbits and chickens. He is survived by his son, Clinton Shields, of Henderson, Nev.; son and daughter-in-law Bob and Trudy Shields of Ventura; daughters and sons-in-law Yvonne and Tom Odle, and Yvette and Mel Krogh, all of Ojai; 14 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Louise Shields, in January 2001. The family wishes to thank the nursing staff and CNAs at the Skilled Nursing Facility for their kindness and care. Funeral Mass will be held Monday, Nov. 17, at 9 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Ojai. Burial will follow at Nordhoff Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.   Franklin William "Bill" Porter Franklin William "Bill" Porter, 82, longtime resident of the Ojai-Ventura area, died Thursday, Nov. 6, 2003 in Seattle, Wash. He was visiting his son in Port Townsend when he suffered a fall, with ensuing complications leading to his death. He was born Aug. 23, 1921 in the Lincoln Heights area of Los Angeles, and graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a radio operator. After the war he returned home and for the next 44 years he worked at Sawyer Cabinet Company in Glendale, Calif. He was a salesman and worked with many of the prominent housing developers in the San Fernando Valley, Covina, Diamond Bar, Palm Springs and Los Angeles areas/ Mr. Porter was a member of Sheet Metal Union 273, where he was recently honored with 60 years of membership. Mr. Porter was a participant in community affairs, both in South Pasadena, where he and his wife, Sallie, raised their children, and in the Ojai Valley. In 1984, he served as president of the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce. His presidency coincided with the Summer Olympics Games in Los Angeles, a portion of which came to Lake Casitas. Mr. Porter volunteered his services and was assigned to drive the venue president to his various responsibilities between Ventura and Los Angeles. Mr. Porter also served on the Mira Monte Water Board and the Highway 33 Improvement Committee. He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in South Pasadena and Ojai Second Wards. He served the church's youth activities in many capacities over the years. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Sallie Gulick Porter; daughters Pamela Thomas of Pasadena, and Cynthia Ellis of Santa Maria; son Jeffery Porter of Port Townsend; sisters Peg Ritchie of Huntington Beach, and Beverly Borgman of Carmel; 12 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Private family services will be held. Friends are invited to a memorial service to be held Saturday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ojai. Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.     Acacia Fischer Brice Graves Acacia Fischer Brice Graves, 88, of Ojai, died Friday, Nov. 7, 2003. She was born Oct. 19, 1915, and had lived in Ojai for the past 25 years. She was raised and educated in the Philippines, United States and Europe. Mrs. Graves was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and worked as a nurse at Acacias Care Center and at the Ojai Valley Community Hospital Skilled Nursing. Her husband, John Eldred Brice, was a career officer in the U.S. Navy. They did a lot of traveling as they raised their three daughters. She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Willa and Charles H. Irwin, and Anita and Tom Owen; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Eldred Brice, in 1990, and her daughter, Jean, in 1993. No viewing or services are scheduled. Please direct any memorial donations to The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, Ojai 1st Ward, or to the Ojai Valley Community Hospital Foundation. Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.     William "Bill" Palmer Ojai lost one of its true characters to cancer on Saturday, 8th of November. Bill was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1928, and was raised in a mining camp in Yosemite where his mother, Ruth, was the cook and his dad, Paul, cleared the roads. Later, they moved to La Jolla where schooling and "suburban" life was unappreciated by Bill after the glory of Yosemite. Bill was in the Marine Corps from 1945 to 1949 when the Corps gladly released him with an Honorable Discharge. After many adventures, Bill came to Ventura in 1968 and found his home in Ojai in 1970. He was a member and past president (four years) of The Ventura County Bird Club. He owned and then retired from The Concrete Construction Company in 1991 and in 1992 took over Proex Propane Company. He delivered propane day or night, all over the area, including the rural and rugged parts of Ventura County where few would make deliveries, making friends along the way. He continued working until three weeks before his death. He is survived by his beloved wife, Karen; his three sons, Aaron Palmer of Ojai, Daniel Palmer of Oakhurst, Calif., and Paul "Pete" Palmer of Ojai; nine grandchildren; numerous "adopted" children; and so many friends who call him their "best" friend. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bill's name to The Ojai Raptor Center, P.O. Box 182, Oak View, CA 93022. Telephone: (805) 667-4727. Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.   William "Bill" Bostwick Born July 2, 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey. Died on November 4, 2003 at Ojai Valley Community Hospital's Skilled Nursing. William "Bill" Bostwick was a World War II hero and a recipient of the Purple Heart. He was a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather and friend. Bill moved to Ojai in 1996 from Los Angeles. He loved Ojai, calling it, "The most beautiful place on earth." He took long walks every day with a smile on his face, a heart as big as the Topa Topas, and a "Hello!" for everyone he met. He died, with his family at his side, as a result of complications from an injury sustained when he was hit by a car on Ventura Street and Ojai Avenue. Bill is survived by his wife of 65 years, Olga, his daughter, Eugenia, son-in-law Raymond, and the joy of his life - granddaughter, Ana Ming and his dog, Ahwahnee. He will be missed and remembered always by his family. Arrangements are by Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai. A memorial and the spreading of his ashes will be held in Ojai.     Jeannette C. Lewis Jeannette C. Lewis, 85, of Ojai, died Thursday, Nov. 6, 2003 in Ventura, following a short illness. She was born Sept. 8, 1918 in Lewiston, Maine, and had lived in Ojai for the last 18 years. Mrs. Lewis' interests included traveling and bowling (which she has done up until this year). She is survived by her son, Gary A. Lewis, of Browns Valley, Calif.; daughter-in-law Linda Lewis of Ventura; grandson Gary A. Lewis II of Ventura; brother Edward Gagnon of Boulder City, Nev.; and sister-in-law Bertha Gagnon of Ojai. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Guy Lewis, in the year 2000. Visitation will be at Clausen Funeral Home today from 2 to 8 p.m. with rosary to be recited 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Nov. 15, at 9 a.m. at Clausen Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, Ventura. Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.